37. End of Pregnancy Pelvic Exams – Dr. Michelle Tsai, MD

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Once you are past 37 weeks, baby is considered full term, and your doctor may offer you a pelvic exam at an OB visit. There is no strict recommendation on when (and if) cervical exams are done at the end of pregnancy – I personally do not routinely perform cervical or pelvic exams unless there is a good reason (exams can be uncomfortable, especially during this time in pregnancy!). If you are having any signs of early or prodromal labor (what I like to call “pre-prelabor” – your body is releasing hormones called prostaglandins to make change towards the big day), your doctor may check your cervix. And, of course, if you are having signs of labor (tightening/cramping of your abdomen every 5-10 minutes for one hour or leakage of fluid like your water bag broke), your physician may check your cervix to see if you are indeed in labor. Labor is defined as contractions that start opening up the cervix; you may be contracting painfully without your cervix opening just yet. This is called prodromal labor.

A cervical check has several parts to it. Dilation, or how open your cervix is, is the one that many patients think is the most important, however the other parts of the exam are just as important. We evaluate the cervix also for effacement (how “thinned out” it is) and baby’s station (where the baby’s head is in relation to mom’s pelvis), as well as position (where the cervix is in relation to the front and back of your body) and consistency (how much the cervix has softened). Even if your cervix has not yet dilated, if it has softened and thinned out, this can be a sign of labor.

Are you exSTREAMly interested in pregnancy and labor? Check out Dr. Berlin’s new streaming channel!

The cervical exam generally can be uncomfortable but should not be painful. It can feel like a bit of cold pressure. After the exam you may have some cramping and even some small spotting (generally a bit of pink/red on wiping with toilet paper), this is normal and expected with any cervical exam especially later in pregnancy. You should not have any heavy vaginal bleeding – if you have bleeding filling up a pad or pantiliner, please kindly contact your physician.

If your cervix is dilated, your physician may offer you a membrane sweep, which is basically a bit of a massage of the baby’s head. This is not harmful to you or your baby. The membrane sweep feels like a longer cervical check; this can be uncomfortable but should not be painful. This can cause your body to release your own hormones to lead towards labor naturally. If you are nearing your due date and not having any signs of labor, this can be a very natural way to help your body along, without medications for induction of labor. This is an especially helpful tool especially if you are trying for a trial of labor after cesarean section, as if you go into labor on your own, it can increase the rate of success of a vaginal delivery. Of course, every patient’s situation can be quite different, and it is always a good idea to discuss with your physician what is best for your individual situation. Best of luck and congratulations on your new addition to the family!

Follow Dr. Berlin and The Informed Pregnancy Project for all the latest news and updates!

Dr. Michelle Tsai grew up in LA’s San Gabriel Valley and received her bachelor’s degree at the University of California – Berkeley. She taught English in Asia for a year prior to attending medical school at Virginia Commonwealth University. She completed her residency training at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to open her own private practice.

Dr. Tsai is currently an assistant professor of OB/GYN at UCLA. She is the director of the UCLA Marina Del Rey OB/GYN office which is opening in 2023. She divides her time seeing patients in the office, performing gynecologic surgeries, delivering babies, teaching medical students and residents, and serving as an independent contractor in the community for the underserved. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and miniature schnauzer Sadie, as well as traveling, exercising, and trying out new restaurants in her community. They welcomed their first child in October 2020.